Pixelation

Critique => Pixel Art => Topic started by: madartiststan on May 31, 2007, 07:22:59 am

Title: Stan's Dump
Post by: madartiststan on May 31, 2007, 07:22:59 am
oooehhh, I've decided to try and improve my tile making skills as well as my ability to make different textures. I figured I'd start with grass as it's usually pretty hard to make look really good on tiles period. :D

(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/thekidstan/grassisotest.png)
Title: Re: Tiles and Techniques: Textures Are A Bitch
Post by: konix on May 31, 2007, 04:02:13 pm
Overall I would say that it's not too bad for grass tiles. However, the colors could use some improvement, as there's too much saturation and not enough contrast.

Here's a quick edit. It's not the greatest, but I think it should point you in the right direction.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/konix/Image1.gif)
Title: Re: Tiles and Techniques: Textures Are A Bitch
Post by: madartiststan on May 31, 2007, 04:30:52 pm
Ooo, nice edit konix. But yeah, I tried a color scheme quite similar to that and the grass just looked dead.  :mean: Tho, I will edit the ground parts as well as try to show some ground through the grass. Tho, I don't usually see ground through grass on lands. But in other landscapes definitely.

I also seem to wonder why people always make there grass lean towards a yellowish color ramp. My grass isn't yellow. :hehe:


E: I've definitely decided to do something WAY more detailed for the ground and sides, but here's an example of changes on my color ramp with hues dipping into yellows. I think the third one is the better one of the 3.

(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/thekidstan/grassisotest-changes.gif)
Title: Re: Tiles and Techniques: Textures Are A Bitch
Post by: Dusty on May 31, 2007, 07:33:26 pm
Yellow-ish highlights > green grass > blueish-green shadows
It think it just looks better than all green, even if it's minor.
I honestly don't know what it is about your colors, but the green you choose, something about it just looks... I dunno, unappealing.
Also, I can tell there's going to be a straight line repeating when you tile it, right up the middle of the tile.
Title: Re: Tiles and Techniques: Textures Are A Bitch
Post by: Malor on May 31, 2007, 09:34:01 pm
ahhh! Stop making so many topics :yell: I like the design, but the lower sautated edit konix made, looks more natural to me. I seem to have a think for lower saturation.....I should fix that..
Title: Re: Tiles and Techniques: Textures Are A Bitch
Post by: madartiststan on June 01, 2007, 01:33:22 am
So sorrrryy!
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/thekidstan/finallygrass.png)

Got a little temporary texture for the sides and such. The difference between the two is the same green dark color on the left, and on the right a darker blue.
Title: Re: Tiles and Techniques: Textures Are A Bitch
Post by: Turbo on June 01, 2007, 02:07:31 am
A lesson i've learned is: do not pick colors with my mind, but rather with my eyes. I doesn't matter that i know that grass is green, if it looks better pink with blue highlights and yellow shadows, that's what it should be. You can have grass not have a green color and still look realistic/really good/etc., it's just about matching the right colors.
Title: Re: Tiles and Techniques: Textures Are A Bitch
Post by: LoTekK on June 01, 2007, 02:21:07 am
To add on to Turbo's point, colors are relative. A blue object is going to look different colors under different lighting conditions. And as long as you come up with something visually pleasing, something that works, then you're good to go, nevermind that your head is telling you that flesh isn't blue/purple, for example. Look at Helm's work, for a great example of this. Taken out of context, he has a penchant for picking incredibly bizarre colors, but they work together, and they make perfect sense, from a color theory perspective.

Anyways, your latest tiles look fine, if a little overly-saturated. Personally I'd go for something more akin to konix's edit, maybe somewhere inbetween.
Title: Re: Tiles and Techniques: Textures Are A Bitch
Post by: madartiststan on June 01, 2007, 07:05:29 am
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/thekidstan/Sebastian_Portfolio/LIPs.png)

Talk about boredom. Suppose I'm just dumping the thread up now.

Basic shadows and highlights for Mr. Lips.

Introduced Mr. Lips, to Mr. Hue Shifting. It's all a bit sloppy atm 3:33AM. But I'll clean it up some more tomorrow. Right now, whatchaa thunk?

(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/thekidstan/Sebastian_Portfolio/LIPs-1.png)
Title: Re: Tiles and Techniques: Textures Are A Bitch
Post by: philipptr on June 01, 2007, 12:57:16 pm
the dithering makes the lips look really really rough. also i'm not a big fan of these colours. I think the hue shifting is a bit too extreme for my taste here.
Title: Re: Stan's Dump
Post by: madartiststan on June 03, 2007, 06:16:22 am
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/thekidstan/spacewindow.png)

So for the first time I have an actual reason to make tiles. A friend and I got together to make a smallgame in our free time and I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to get some experience. So above I haveeh started a mockup of the space station even tho it may not look as so.  :'(


Edit: As well as trying to do a proper fighting sprite this time around. It's suppose to be a bit of lax pose.

(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/thekidstan/sebastian_newfighter.png)
Title: Re: Stan's Dump
Post by: dragonrc on June 03, 2007, 06:46:54 pm
The back arm of the fighting character should be placed more to the left (behind the character.)
Title: Re: Stan's Dump
Post by: Turbo on June 03, 2007, 08:37:46 pm
It's good to see that you're improving! The fighter looks nice, could use some anatomy tweaks but it works well. The pants need work though. And the space station needs a structural redesign, it doesn't look like... anything recognizable.

Generally, i advise you to look at reference. Specifically, space stations and baggy military pants, for the wrinkles and shading. :)

Also, i enjoyed mr lips, even if the hue shifting is a bit extreme, it looks different but good.

I think you should push yourself for finishing these small pieces. There's a special pleasure in looking at something and declaring "it's done baby". That, and you will notice growth as an artisan.
Title: Re: Stan's Dump
Post by: madartiststan on June 03, 2007, 09:31:43 pm
Thanks alot Turbo! And yeah I need to start looking for references.  :P

But as for the sprite:

I was trying to go more for "poofy" pants rather than military camo. Almost like down feather pants. I have no clue why, at the time I was trying to be unique I suppose. And I had put a few edits about the fighter sprite, as well as getting some down on the further out arm. I've also tried bringing the closer arm, closer to the body of the fighter as well and tried to make him look more like he's crouching a bit. But I want to keep it lax sort of stance.

(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/thekidstan/sebastian_newfighter-1.png)

I realize the far arm is a bit to slim and that the elbows on both need work but I'm getting there.


As for Mr. Lips :P, I've since tuned down the hue shifts a bit as well as the dithering some. I'll post an update when I do some more.


Edit: Reworking the far arm. Made som echanges around the neck area with the shirt.

(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/thekidstan/sebastian_newfighter-2.png)


Edit 2: Made some adjustments on the far arm. I know the readability is down quite a bit and I'm working on that. Fixed the view of the his right foot (our left). And I'm trying to go with a look as if the pants were padded as well as the vest.

(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/thekidstan/sebastian_newfighter-3.png)
Title: Re: Stan's Dump
Post by: LoTekK on June 04, 2007, 10:30:02 am
Anatomy issues again. Get reference. Work from reference. Sketch humans from reference. Check your proportions. Right now you've got too-short legs, slightly short torso, and a too-big head. Did a quick edit addressing these, but not the stance:
(http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i196/LoTekK/madartiststan-po3.gif)

Also, I agree with Turbo, in that you should really try and finish some of these. At the very least the promising ones.
Title: Re: Stan's Dump
Post by: madartiststan on June 06, 2007, 04:30:03 am
I'm planning a different pose for my fighter as that one is far TOO stiff and uninteresting. I'm going to handdraw it first and use as reference. But until then, I've been working on a screne.

What comes first, is the gian paintbrush. I plan on it being ironic art in the end. But here's a WIP:

(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/thekidstan/sebastian_amagad.png)
Title: Re: Stan's Dump
Post by: Opacus on June 06, 2007, 09:18:17 am
I say finish something first. You keep beginning on new projects...
Title: Re: Stan's Dump
Post by: madartiststan on June 07, 2007, 06:02:41 am
I'm really trying to finish up this latest one. As I like the scene I have in mind. Anyhow,

Update:

(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/thekidstan/sebastian_amagad-1.png)

This shading I had to remake, the original shading looked so much better. But I powered down my comp using the power button + hold and lost it. :[


Edit: Really trying to finish this one. Is hard finding colors for straw like appearances. Crits please.  :)

(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/thekidstan/sebastian_amagad-2.png)